Panel to seek expert views

The committee set up by the state government to look into the demand for a bus fare hike decided on Tuesday to seek views of experts working on fare structures in road transport in other states.

The members agreed that while the demand for a hike did not seem unjustified, a decision could only be taken after the panel spoke to automobile experts and representatives from the trade.

The committee met for the first time on Tuesday in education minister Partha Chatterjee’s room on the Assembly premises. “It would not be proper to comment anything at this stage,” transport minister Madan Mitra said.

The Left and the Congress have refused to be part of the committee.

Two of the members are the SUCI’s Tarun Naskar and former CPM leader Abdur Rezzak Molla. The other members are Chatterjee, Mitra, urban development minister Firhad Hakim, housing minister Aroop Biswas and Trinamul MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhayay.